Our Lady of Guadalupe

Updated on August 18, 2013

From the beginning of Christianity, many people have reported visions and appearances of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Over the twentieth century, there was a great number of reported visions of Mary. This means that the leader of the Catholic Church have to carefully consider and assess the apparitions.

Apparition is the term used for an unexplainable appearance of someone who has died. A Marian apparition is a private appearance or vision of Mary the Mother of Jesus Christ.

One of the apparitions of Mary that the Church has judge as authentic is the apparition in Tepayac Hill to Juan Diego in 1531.

Juan Diego was an Aztec Indian convert to Christianity, who lived in the Tepayac Hill country in Central Mexico. One day, as he walked to the small Catholic church near his home, he passed close to Tepayac Hill, an area that had been constructed to the mother goddess by the Aztecs.

First he heard music unlike any he had heard before, then silence and from the silence the voice of a woman who called to him. The woman identified herself, in Juan Diego's native language as the Mother of God. She asked for a small house to be built for her on that very spot and asked Juan Diego to go to the local bishop with this request.

At first the bishop did not believe Juan Diego and he sent him back for proof that this apparition was really the Mother of God. The woman agreed to give Juan proof the next morning. However, Juan was unable to return to the spot the next day as his uncle was seriously ill and needed Juan to care for him.

As his uncle's condition worsened Juan had to leave the house to fetch the priest and this took him by Tepayac Hill again. There the woman was waiting, promising that she would protect his uncle, the woman sent Juan to the top of a hill to gather flowers and to his amazement, in the barren frosty ground he found roses growing.

After gathering the roses in his tilma (a native poncho or cape) Juan returned to the woman who blessed him and sent him again to the bishop. Entering the residence fo the Bishop Juan opened his tilma to let the roses fall. An image of the woman and his apparition was clearly visible painted on the inside of the tilma. It showed Mary as a brown skinned woman, in a pink robe and turquoise mantle, which was covered in stars and edged in gold. She wore a black cincture or sash indicating, that she was pregnant and she was surrounded by rays of light.

This image of Mary is reverenced today as that of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the name by which the woman had called herself. A shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe was built on the hill previously dedicated to the Mother goddess and over the following years, millions of Aztecs were baptized.

The image on the cloak, still intact today is enshrined in her Church, the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Tepayac and every year millions of pilgrims go there to pray and to seek healing.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is the patron saint of the Americans and her feast day is celebrated on 12 December.

The poster shows a painting by Jorge Sánchez Hernandéz in which Our Lady of Guadalupe gives Juan Diego a garland of roses as a sign for him to present to the bishop in proof of the authenticity of his vision.

Words spoken to Juan Diego by Our Lady on the hill of Tepeca, Mexico City December 9, 1531.

"Known of certain, least of my sons, that I am the perfect and perpetual Virgin Mary, Mother of True God through whom everything lives, the Lord of all things near and far, the Master of heaven and earth. It is my earnest wish that a temple be built here to my honor. Here I will demonstrate, I will exhibit, I will give all my love, my compassion, my help and my protection to the people. I am your merciful mother, the merciful mother of all of you who live united in this land and of all mankind, of all those who love me, of those who have confidence in me. Here I will hear their weeping, their sorrow and will remedy and alleviate all their multiple sufferings, necessities and misfortunes. "

I am a Merciful Mother to all who love me and trust me and invoke my help.

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O Mary, Mother of good counsel, be a guiding light for all women contemplating abortion. May you lift them out of darkness and instill in them a lively confidence in the promises of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Knowing that God can bring good out of all things, I pray that these women not lose hope in the future God has planned for them and their unborn children. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Day 2

O Mary, Virgin most prudent, infuse compassion into the hearts of all men who have conceived children but are consumed by fear. I pray that they refrain from participating in the mortal sin of abortion through of silence, omission and encouragement. May the joys of fatherhood enlighten their conscience and may they trust in the transformative power of love. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Day 3

O Mary, Seat of Wisdom, for all friends and family members whose counsel are sought in times of great distress, open their hearts so that they may speak words of life in favor of the unborn. Increase our love for your Son Jesus Christ, so that this love may be perfectly reflected in charity towards our neighbor and respect for the dignity of human life. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Day 4

O Mary, refuge of sinners, for all women and men who are suffering the pains of abortion, may they find pardon and peace in the merciful gaze of your Son. May forgiveness triumph over despair and may they trust in the unfailing love of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Day 5

O Mary, comforter of the afflicted, may the souls of the unborn who have not seen life rest in peace. I pray that you bring them into your loving embrace and that their voices be heard in the silence our hearts. May they one day be reunited with their parents and siblings in the glorious presence your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Day 6

O Mary, Mirror of justice, for all men and women who are not yet conscious of having committed the grievous sin of abortion. Give them the grace to understand and despise their sin, so that they may amend their lives and devote themselves to good works in favor of the unborn. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Day 7

O Mary, Mother most chaste, teach us your ways of faithfulness and obedience. Help us understand the evils of contraception and pre-marital sex, so that we may maintain the dignity of our human nature and avoid the slaughter of innocents. Protect the commitment of married couples from all temptation and strife. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Day 8

O Mary, Virgin most powerful, shine a light into the darkened hearts of all people in the pro-choice movement. May lawmakers acknowledge the humanity of the unborn, and may abortionist doctors see the lives they destroy. Soften the hardened hearts of men and women who refuse to see the joys of parenthood and may they find hopeful answers to what may seem like desperate cases. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Day 9

O Mary, Ark of the Covenant, strengthen the pro-life movement and may our service be filled with love and reverence for your Son Jesus Christ. Breathe life into our daily thoughts, words and actions so that we may bring God’s truth to light. Humble the hearts of the proud and awaken the souls of those who are called to listen. May priests, religious and counselors fervently remind the sorrowful of God’s fidelity and steadfast love. Mary, Gate of Heaven, lead us to your Son. Amen.

Our Father, Hail May, Glory Be.

Diane Corriette 8 years ago

Great hub. I hadn't heard of this before so it's great to be able to read it. Thanks